After a while, I can’t take it anymore and slap my hand on Noah’s thigh. “Stop!” I snap.
“I know I’m irresistible, Amelia, but now is not the time or place to get frisky,” Noah says.
I pull my hand back, in no mood for his Noah-ness at this particular time. His foot has stopped incessantly tapping, but I don’t feel any better. What’s taking so long? Aiden didn’t do anything. All of this all should’ve been sorted out already. Right?
The minutes tick by painfully. Charlotte’s strict parents call, and then her older brother comes to pick her and Chase up, who has his own worried parents to get home to. We promise we’ll keep them both updated.
We’ve been here for how long now? Hours? It’s past ten o’clock. Why has the activity in the police station not slowed down? The phone hasn’t stopped ringing. I have half a mind to rip every single phone off its cord and chuck them all out the window. The last time I was in a police station this long was when Tony found me for the third time, and I’d had to go from the hospital to the station to give my statement, which was useless, clearly, since he’s still out there, searching for me. And just like that night, my flight response is kicking in—I want to run as far away from here as humanly possible, but I’d never leave Aiden behind.
It’s just after eleven o’clock when the lawyer and Vince come back out, unfortunately without Aiden. Brian goes over to talk to the other men, and we all sit up, ramrod straight, straining to hear the conversation. The dads talk for a while with some detectives, and then the lawyer and Brian depart with two other police officers, leaving us all staring after them, confused.
Vince heads over to us, looking tired but less frustrated, which I hope is a good thing. We get to our feet as he approaches.
“They’re going to hold Aiden overnight,” Vince says before any of us can interrogate him. “While they check his alibi.”
“Aren’t we his alibi?” Julian asks.
Julian’s father motions us over to the side of the tiny waiting area for some privacy from the other people here.
“Here’s what we know: Greg’s body was found dead in front of Aiden’s house, and he was pretty badly beaten. They found Aiden’s cell phone at the crime scene. Right now the cops have a tentative time of death around six in the evening. Aiden had been at Mason’s house since four thirty, and they were there until they left to pick up the pizza around ten to seven, and then they went straight to Amelia’s house. The security footage from the cameras in front of Mason’s house can prove the times are correct, and Brian just left to get the police the tapes to clear Aiden.”
We all look at each other, stunned. Greg’s body was found in front of Aiden’s house? With Aiden’s cell phone?
“His cell phone? I know for a fact that his phone was with him at Amelia’s house,” Mason chimes in.
“His old phone. Remember, he lost it a few weeks ago, at the Tr—school.” My awkward cover-up isn’t at all cool, but I’m not going to narc on anyone by saying “Tracks” in front of a parent.
“How did Aiden’s phone end up at the crime scene?” Annalisa asks, even though no one knows the answer.
“Never mind that, how did the dead body of Aiden’s despised stepfather end up in front of his house? Was it moved there?” Julian ponders.
Vince rubs his eyes. I seriously doubt that he ever thought that being a dad meant having to deal with a murder charge. “Forensics determined that it was the primary location, meaning that Greg died in front of Aiden’s house.”
“That does not look good for our boy.” Noah grimaces.
“He didn’t do it, Noah!” Annalisa snaps.
“Geez, I know. I’m just saying …” he replies, then under his breath adds, “Why do I always forget that she’s crankier than usual without sleep?”
“Noah’s right though,” Vince says. “With the location of the crime, Aiden’s phone, and the bruising on Greg indicating a recent fight—it doesn’t look good. Plus, Aiden and Greg’s past doesn’t help—it’s on record that Aiden petitioned against Greg’s parole. It could be reasoned that he had a motive. Even if we have an alibi for him, we have to prove that’s enough for them to let him go.”
This whole situation is ludicrous. I explain, “Aiden is one of the smartest people I know, book- and street-wise. He has one of the top GPAs not just in the school, but in the entire school district. I think if he was going to kill a guy, he wouldn’t leave the dead body in front of his house.”
Everyone smiles tiredly and nods at the truth behind my statement. I mean, really. No one can actually be so dumb as to kill someone and leave their dead body chillin’ in front of their house like no big deal while they go eat pizza and watch movies at their friend’s house.
But if Aiden didn’t kill Greg, who did? Why was the primary crime scene in front of Aiden’s house? Is someone trying to frame him? But why? There are so many more questions than answers, and that makes me uncomfortable. Oh God. What if they need to question me? He was at my house when he was arrested. What if they need to dig into me? What will they find?
“Listen, everyone,” Vince commands. “They’re going to clear all this up and Aiden will be out of here before you know it. You should all go home instead of sitting here worrying about him. He wanted me to assure you all that he’s fine, to go home, and that it’ll all be okay.”
Aiden’s literally in jail (or in police holding, whatever, there’s still bars) and still his first priority is his friends? That man cannot make me like him any more than I already do.
Vince lightly slaps Julian’s back. “Come on, son, let’s go home and get some rest. Everything will be sorted out soon. Annalisa, I’m guessing you’re staying at our house tonight?”
Annalisa nods and pulls on her jacket, and Vince looks at the rest of us. “Do you guys need a ride home?”
“Yeah, I do,” Noah says, looking up from his phone. “Maybe I should stay at your house too. I have nineteen missed calls from my mother and don’t feel like dying tonight.”
Noah’s humor breaks the tension. We’re all exhausted. “Tough break, kid. Judy’s one tough woman when she’s angry.” Vince looks at me and Mason. “Do you kids need a ride home?”